SILENT WITNESS
by deetatarant
Summary: A PUBLIC ENQUIRY BRINGS NOTHING BUT TROUBLE FOR THE TEAM.


**AN: SET SOMETIME AFTER GWEN'S WEDDING.**

**SILENT WITNESS **

**Standing On The Outside Looking In:**

Gwen sighed heavily and gathered her phone and purse and dumped them into her handbag. She was fed up, really fed up. It had been a mad day of running around Cardiff chasing some little toe rag of a juvenile weevil who had proven to be very fast and extremely agile. She and Ianto had been at its heels for almost two hours. It had rained heavily, her jacket was ruined and her hair was an ungainly mess. Ianto had ended up leaping over a couple of garden fences and wrecking another suit because a staffy terrier had got hold of his leg and tried to eat him. Somehow Ianto had actually managed to keep running, shaking the mutt off because it obviously wasn't in the mood to run after its dinner. Jack had finally cornered the weevil at the end of an alley behind a row of terraces and brought it down with the spray can and a large dose of sedative, still managing to look handsome and completely unruffled in the process. The journey back to the Hub had been taken in sulky silence, Gwen and Ianto frozen, wet and in his case sore. On arriving back at the Hub, Owen had jokingly bragged that Ianto obviously didn't taste that good otherwise said dog would still be on the end of his leg. Jack's glare had instantly shut the medic up when it was discovered that Ianto had to have minor surgery and 17 stitches to repair the damage to his ankle. Even so Ianto had still made Gwen a mug of hot chocolate before allowing Owen the time to fix him up because Ianto had fussed with the worry that Gwen would get hypothermia if he didn't.

Shitty days like these often made Gwen yearn for a time when she was still a beat bobby dealing with pissed up blokes on a Saturday night. That didn't last for long, much as she often found herself missing Andy she knew full well that she'd miss her Torchwood colleagues a hell of a lot more.

Gwen stood up; finally warm and relaxed enough not to have her aching legs go into cramp as soon as she moved. She glanced across to Jack's office where she knew Ianto was probably sleeping on the couch in there. Jack had been even fussier over the young Welshman than normal. Jack had days like that sometimes. It was weird the way he could swing from one extreme to the other. Sometimes Gwen wondered if Jack cared about him at all. Other times, like today, Jack behaved like he couldn't bear to have him out of his sight for a minute. She found herself wondering how Ianto coped with the inconsistency. It would have driven her mad, did drive her mad when Jack did his hot and cold thing with people. It was Ianto she felt sorry for he always took the brunt of it whichever way it went.

Gwen ambled up to Jack's office and tapped on the door before going in. Jack smiled at her from behind his desk and she returned the gesture before glancing down at a sleeping Ianto. As much as she hated to admit it the young man looked adorable in his peaceful state of drugged unawareness. She took a moment to watch his slow even breathing and bent down and brushed a gentle kiss to his head.

Jack watched this with curiosity. He had half wondered, in days gone by, if Gwen and Ianto would ever really be friends. He was always a little weary around her. Gwen's overwhelming warmth and human compassion often had him running for the archives to get away from her mother henning. Ianto did not like to be man handled. Only Jack had been allowed that concession, even then those moments were reserved for strictly private times and never during 'work'. Gwen's bubbliness and spontaneity were heart warming to Jack; it was something he truly loved about her. Gwen was as open as Ianto was closed. Perhaps that was why they were both so attractive to him, complete opposites in the same room. Gwen's compassion was overwhelming, soft, fresh and obvious. Ianto's was equally powerful in its subtlety. They fascinated him.

Gwen straightened herself up and looked back at Jack aware of the fact that he had been staring at her. That always made her blush. It was annoying really because she loved him and he always made her feel special and loved, but so did Rhys. Some days it was it was hard to go home to him though. Some days she just wanted a taste of Jack, just to see what life could be like with that enigmatic man. It was a girlish fantasy and she knew it. Just like Owen, all Jack would be interested in was sex because he led an impossible life that left no room for anything else.

"You OK?" His question startled her.

"Yes Jack. I just wanted to check on Ianto, make sure he was alright before I went home."

"Owen gave him a big dose of painkillers, but don't tell Ianto, he hates it when he gets drugged up like that." Jack explained indicating the young man with an affectionate smile. "He's a stubborn little bugger."

"Was the suit completely wrecked?"

Jack's smile widened, he'd been the one to take it off and help Ianto change into track pants and T-shirt. "Yeah, he's not happy, he liked that one."

"Only because you chose it, no doubt."

Jack's eyes sparkled for a moment. "How are things? With you and Rhys?"

Gwen paused for moment formulating her reply. "Better. Ever since he found out about what I do. He's different…..more…."

"Understanding?"

Gwen nodded.

Jack got up from his seat and went over to Ianto, adjusting the blanket that covered him and gently kissing the top of his head.

"Ianto's the same. Always there for me. He tells me when I am wrong, when I am right and when I just need to know that sometimes it is OK not to know how to fix things. He makes sure I get fed, that I get my coffee and my laundry is done. When I am sad he holds me. When I am angry he calms me down and when I feel lonely he makes sure that I am not alone."

Gwen was stunned into silence at the admission. Jack's expression became distant as he sat there by the couch his fingers in Ianto's damp hair.

"I am terrified of the day when I will lose him. Not only does he love me Gwen and I mean really love me, but also he has faith in me, trusts me and never judges me. I ask so much of him and he always gives."

Gwen knelt down in front of Jack. "He sounds just like Rhys. We're terrible to them aren't we Jack?"

He nodded.

"I always leave him standing on the outside looking in. I never tell him that I really love him back because I am afraid it will change things, make him more vulnerable than he already is."

"I think you are worried about being more vulnerable yourself. I know I was, when I first told Rhys that I would marry him I was so scared. I made such an ass of myself with Owen and couldn't understand how I felt about you and at first I did it because you were gone. Now I have two rings on my finger, best thing I ever did Jack. Rhys is looking in but he's not standing on the outside any more."

Jack gave her a mischievous grin. "What, you think I should marry Ianto?"

"Just remind him how special he is once in a while. He deserves to know. Some days I think he needs to know."

Jack looked away from her for a moment, back to Ianto. He rose to his feet and wandered back to his chair behind the cluttered desk.

"Go home, Gwen. It's late." He said gently.

Gwen straightened herself up. "I'll lock up behind me. I presume Ianto won't be going home tonight."

Jack nodded. "Thank you. Good night."

"Good night Jack." She left wholly aware that that was a dismissal of sorts.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Public Enquiry**

Ianto rolled over and stretched the stiffness out of his shoulders. He opened his eyes to the darkened confines of Jack's office and lay there on the couch trying to clear his head of the drug induced fogginess of his brain. He shivered feeling chilly and finally sat up fully expecting to feel nauseas, but he didn't. Ianto was relieved he hated feeling sick. A quick glance at his watch told him it was 3am. He looked out of the window across the Hub, it was black down there so he got up and peered through the hatch into Jack's bunk. Jack wasn't there. Ianto wasn't surprised Jack hardly ever stayed Hub side these days and Ianto knew that the older man had been avoiding him recently. Jack had obviously gotten bored and gone off to find some company for the night as he so often did. Ianto tried to pretend that it didn't hurt and failed miserably.

He sighed and got up deciding the best thing for him to do would be to go home so retrieving his keys and wallet from Jack's desk that's exactly what he did.

No sooner had he got in the front door his mobile rang for his attention. It was Jack. Ianto nearly rejected the call.

"_Hey, Yan where are you?"_

"I just got home." Ianto replied without enthusiasm.

"_Oh. Are you ok?"_

"Fine Jack, just wanted my own bed the couch is pretty uncomfortable."

"_Want some company?"_

Ianto found himself shaking his head. "No. I er just want to sleep Jack. I'll be back in a few hours."

"_Oh, ok, right. You sleep well."_ Ianto felt a stab of guilt at the sound of Jack's disappointment.

"Look, come over any way. I always sleep better with you."

"_Be there in ten."_

Ianto hung up and cursed himself for being weak. He went to the kitchen; Jack would want coffee when he got there. Almost exactly ten minutes later and Jack arrived, letting himself into the flat a large white box gripped in his hands. He placed the box on Ianto's sofa and wandered into the kitchen with a big cheeky smile on his face. Ianto knew that smile well. It was one that spoke volumes of 'Everything is about to go to hell' and this is Jack's way of dealing with it. Before Ianto could speak he found himself gathered in a warm embrace being smothered against Jack's chest like a child by a mother who thought she'd lost him. Ianto slid his arms around Jack accepting the much-needed comfort and wondering what was wrong. Jack's fingers were in his hair and soft lips brushing little kisses against his neck. That made Ianto shiver; it was most definitely a gesture of affection rather than lust. Ianto just breathed the moment in because he needed to get everything he could out of it and Jack's hold on him tightened as if he knew.

"What's up Jack?"

"Sssshhh. Not now Yan. Just let me hold you, please."

Ianto closed his eyes and tried not to worry. This was going to be bad, he just knew it. After what felt like hours Jack grasped his shoulders and guided him gently to a distance of arms length. He looked intently into Ianto's myriad of blue eyes. They faced one another the only sound was their breathing. A deep frown knitted across Ianto's brow.

"Jack?" It came out as a tentative whisper.

Jack sighed and let his hands drop.

"We need to talk, something's happened."

"I thought so. Coffee?"

Jack nodded. "Thank you. I'll wait in the lounge."

A few minutes later and Ianto sat next to Jack on the sofa. He noticed the large box on the table and gestured.

"That's for later." Jack told him with a gentle smile.

"So what's happening?"

Jack wasn't sure where to begin. He was still processing the conversation he had had with the Minister for Defence and the Home Secretary earlier that evening whilst Ianto had been asleep.

"The government have been forced to hold a public enquiry into the destruction of Canary Wharf. Apparently a group families of some of the victims have gathered together what they claim is enough evidence to blow UNIT's cover story to kingdom come. They want some one held accountable and they want compensation. You will be required to make a witness statement at a private court session in a couple of weeks."

The colour drained from Ianto's already pale face and Jack instinctively reached out to him.

"I'm sorry Ianto. I insisted that you were not available to testify, but I don't think this is going to go away. If this goes badly the government could shut us down and pull the UK's membership from UNIT."

Ianto took some time to digest this.

"How can it not go badly Jack? It was a fucking disaster because Torchwood One was given free reign to do as it pleased. Yvonne Hartman and her team were a bunch of megalomaniacs. Perhaps some one should be held accountable."

Jack sighed he hadn't expected that. Ianto caught the flash of concern in his face.

"I don't mean Torchwood Three Jack or Two. Both you and Archie are on record for lodging formal protests over the way Canary Wharf was being operated. I don't know, the ones to blame are mostly the ones that died. Shit……I really couldn't face going over it all again."

Jack squeezed his knee.

"I know. I'll do what I can to protect you from it, but I am not certain I will be successful. That's not the worst of it."

Ianto felt his gut clench.

"Go on."

"Lisa Hallet's family are the ones leading the campaign. They've made a public statement; it's going to be in all the national papers tomorrow. The MOD told me that they got hold of a copy of the survivors list a while back; that too was leaked to the press. The Hallets also had Lisa's coffin exhumed and discovered the body inside it wasn't hers."

Ianto closed his eyes and slumped against the back of the couch. "Oh, God." Tears flooded down his face.

Jack put down his mug and pulled Ianto into another embrace and held his shaking body as Ianto cried into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Yan. I'm sorry."

"What am I going to do?"

Jack gently rubbed circles over his back. "Firstly you're gonna pack some stuff and move into the Hub until this has blown over. I don't want you being harassed by journalists. Secondly, if it comes to testifying you and I will go to London and you will tell the truth about what happened. Thirdly, you're gonna have to let me take care of things for a bit. I want you safe and out of the public eye."

"That's not the problem Jack. It was me that put another body into Lisa's coffin. It was the only way I could protect her, by making her family think that they were burying her. Oh God, what have I done?" He broke down again but pulled himself away from Jack and lurched to his feet to go to the window.

"What kind of a monster am I that I could so easily do that?"

"Like you said Ianto. You were trying to keep her alive."

Ianto wasn't listening. "This is all going to come out isn't it? My shameful secrets, everyone is going to see what a terrible person I am."

Jack was there at his side straight away enfolding Ianto in his arms. "Ianto, don't believe that of yourself. You've punished yourself enough over this. You were trying to save her. I would have done the same, there is no shame in that."

"What about Annie and Dr Tanizaki?"

"Casualties of war Ianto. The same as you were, the same as Lisa and everyone else who died at T1. You did what you thought was best to help her because you loved her, no one could call you a monster for that."

Ianto wished he could believe it.

"It's going to make our work impossible if the press are hounding us every time we go out to investigate anything."

Jack rested his head on Ianto's shoulder. "You let me worry about that."

"Do the others know?"

Jack nodded. "We had a meeting at Toshiko's flat whilst you were asleep. They know the next few weeks are going to be tough. We've had worse, but it's still going to be a pain to deal with."

Jack kissed his cheek. "Get some stuff together. We'll go back to the Hub."

He let Ianto go and the young man reluctantly went to his bedroom to pack.

**AN: Next up date won't be for a bit as I need to finish other story…….sorry this thing just came to me today when I should be writing an essay. Cheers to my lovely readers you are all awesome!!******


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